First Look: BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Developer Beta!

Following the BlackBerry DevCon keynote, I grabbed my free BlackBerry PlayBook and opted for a unit preloaded with the developer version of PlayBook OS 2.0. First thing to note here is the name change. BlackBerry Tablet OS will be dropped for PlayBook OS, at least for now until we see how all the newly announced BBX Platform branding carries out in the months ahead.

Firing up the PlayBook for the first time, I had Michael Clewley, Sr. Product Manager on the PlayBook team, walk me through PlayBook OS 2.0. As I previously predicted, 2.0 makes a departure on the homescreen user interface from version 1, featuring a experience that's a little more iOS-like in the app tray. Instead of the homescreen panes (All, Favorities, Media, etc.), you now have non-labeled panes. You can move apps between panes, put your favorites into the top portion of the display and group apps into folders which you can label. Makes a ton of sense, especially knowing that this OS will make it's way into phones that have a narrower portrait orientation. Another noticeable change was the enlargement of open apps on the homescreen. The preview of open apps is now bigger, with only thre apps showing vs. 5, with a much clearer subtitle and bigger close button.

Check out the video above for a CrackBerry first look at PlayBook OS 2.0 and let us know what you think in the comments!